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Untargeted Molecular Analysis of Exhaled Breath as a Diagnostic Test for Ventilator-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (BreathDx)

  • BreathDx Consortium
  • , Pouline Mp van Oort
  • , Tamara M Nijsen
  • , Iain R White
  • , Hugo H Knobel
  • , Timothy Felton
  • , Nicholas Rattray
  • , Oluwasola Lawal
  • , Murtaza Bulut
  • , Waqar Ahmed
  • , Antonio Artigas
  • , Pedro R Povoa
  • , Ignacio Martin-Loeches
  • , Hans Weda
  • , Royston Goodacre
  • , Marcus J Schultz
  • , Paul M Dark
  • , Stephen J Fowler
  • , Lieuwe D Bos
  • Philips Research Laboratories
  • Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Central EPE
  • University of Dublin Trinity College
  • Orikami
  • Eurofins Materials Science Netherlands BV
  • Hospital Parc Taulí
  • University of Liverpool
  • Amsterdam University Medical Centre (Amsterdam UMC)

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Patients suspected of ventilator-associated lower respiratory tract infections (VA-LRTIs) commonly receive broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy unnecessarily. We tested whether exhaled breath analysis can discriminate between patients suspected of VA-LRTI with confirmed infection, from patients with negative cultures. Breath from 108 patients suspected of VA-LRTI was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The breath test had a sensitivity of 98% at a specificity of 49%, confirmed with a second analytical method. The breath test had a negative predictive value of 96% and excluded pneumonia in half of the patients with negative cultures. Trial registration number: UKCRN ID number 19086, registered May 2015.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)79-81
Number of pages3
JournalThorax
Volume77
Issue number1
Early online date4 Jul 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2022

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • assisted ventilation
  • critical care
  • pneumonia

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Manchester Institute of Biotechnology

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